Smoker or Non?

Well.. do ya or don't ya?

  • yes

    Votes: 22 16.5%

  • No

    Votes: 104 78.2%

  • other

    Votes: 7 5.3%
  • Total voters
    133
  • Poll closed .
PS... the other category is for those "occasional" beer drinking smokers.. :D
 
I said yes for now, but that may be changing soon. I'm currently looking into some of the stop smoking programs in the area, all of which are actually covered by my health insurance (happily). I've also got a doctors appt the day after Christmas to discuss the possibility of whether I can get whatever perscription is available to stop smoking AND I have an accupuncture appt to see what options I have available with her. I've had two former smokers tell me they stopped with the assistance of accupuncture.
 
Walking into the ER and going thru a cloud of smoke isnt nice. Which is when were hanging round after a call and either RNs, MDs, medics are lighting up and when asked do i smoke i make the joke "I'm a second hand smoker", which usually gets a laugh. I never have and hope i never will touch tobacco in my life. Just walking by make my throat itch.
 
At the fire department I am affiliated with, the FFs dont smoke, but dip (chewing tobacco), which is better and worse in some ways.
In Israel, absolutely everyone smokes. Its disgusting, but hysterical. Teenagers, college kids, medics (EMTs), Paramedics, MDs, Nurses, Patients (whew!), everyone.
I have no reason to touch the stuff-- no drive for addiction or bad lungs at this point in my life.
 
I'm a social smoker or I'll smoke when I'm bored. I usually go through a pack every two or three weeks, which at least five of them are handed out to people who ask for them. I personally don't find it too weird for EMS personnel to smoke (my response is "Hey! At least we're not respiratory therapists/cardiologists!"

Now when EMS personnel don't wear a seatbelt or drive drunk. . . that's when I think it's one of the stupidest things somebody can do. (Most of us don't see a direct cause of smoking [yes, we have COPD and CHF PTs however, it's not as bad as a head through a windshield.)
 
jordanfstop said:
I'm a social smoker or I'll smoke when I'm bored. I usually go through a pack every two or three weeks, which at least five of them are handed out to people who ask for them. I personally don't find it too weird for EMS personnel to smoke (my response is "Hey! At least we're not respiratory therapists/cardiologists!"

Now when EMS personnel don't wear a seatbelt or drive drunk. . . that's when I think it's one of the stupidest things somebody can do. (Most of us don't see a direct cause of smoking [yes, we have COPD and CHF PTs however, it's not as bad as a head through a windshield.)
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I'm not a smoker myself, but I disagree that we don't see the effects of smoking. I don't know what level of provider you are, but I can tell when I intubate someone if they are a smoker or not. And we do have COPD patient's and COPD patient's which in my opinion is worse. That's a long, slow and painful death or injury. At least with a head through the windshield, it's generally over rather quickly. I don't advocate drinking and driving either...especially since I don't drink at all any more myself. But to say we don't see the effects is a generally inaccurate impression in my opinion.

Shane
NREMT-P
 
medic001918 said:
I'm not a smoker myself, but I disagree that we don't see the effects of smoking. I don't know what level of provider you are, but I can tell when I intubate someone if they are a smoker or not. And we do have COPD patient's and COPD patient's which in my opinion is worse. That's a long, slow and painful death or injury. At least with a head through the windshield, it's generally over rather quickly. I don't advocate drinking and driving either...especially since I don't drink at all any more myself. But to say we don't see the effects is a generally inaccurate impression in my opinion.

Shane
NREMT-P
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I also think that just because we don't see the effects means it's more acceptable to smoke. With internet and other forms of communication these days, anyone can find descriptions, accounts, and pictures of what smoking does to you at any time. I don't think we should be held to a different standard than respiratory therapists/cardiologists, nor do I think healthcare professionals should be held to different standards than the rest of the world. There's no excuse any more, unless you live in a third-world country and truly have never been educated about the effects of smoking.
 
I'll have a cigar every now and then. I like a good stogie on occasion, and no-it can't be flavored or from a gas station.:rolleyes:
 
Neither my wife or I smoke, and never have. Still, two of my three sons do. They have both tried to quit many times, but tell me it's so unbelievably hard to carry through. We were talking about it one time and I told them "Just don't do it. Stop, and just don't start; it can't be that hard now, can it?" My son looked down at my gnawed fingernails and said "then why can't you stop? Just stop, and don't start again. It can't be that hard, can it?" Ouch, and touche'. It was only then that I began to fathom the challenges of quitting, and I have tremendous respect for anyone who can. Good luck, Erin!!
 
I was a 2 1/2 pack a day smoker until 2001, when I quit cold-turkey. After my wedding, I started smoking my pipe again, maybe one or two bowls a week. Now, I smoke the pipe about once a day on my way to work or one the way home.
 
I am relearning the non smoking lifestyle after a recent change to hospital policy requiring nicotine testing for employment and for clinical rotations. I am planning on starting Paramedic school in the spring and when I heard this I figured it was time.

I think it is absolutely outrageous [the new policy]. But I want to become a medic so no smoking for me. Third day today. I personally don't think an employer has any business telling you what you can and cannot do when you are not working (assuming you are not in uniform), but I love EMS.

Definitely hard to give it up, hanging around at the fire station with a lot of smokers makes it hard, and it is very relaxing to me to come back from a call and enjoy a cigarette.

Anyone know how long nicotine remains in urine? I need to take a drug test (which will apparently include nicotine) before starting school Jan 11 2010.
 
smoking is filthy nasty toxic and disgusting, not for me but by all means if you want to spark up feel free, just don't come into my house thanks :)
 
I don't smoke, but almost everyone I work with does. It's gross. Some of them seriously reek of it, and I don't imagine that's good for their patients.

Oh, dipping is really popular, too. Also gross.
 
crash_cart said:
I'll have a cigar every now and then. I like a good stogie on occasion, and no-it can't be flavored or from a gas station.:rolleyes:
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AMEN to that!!!

I do like cigars...and am partial to pipe tobacco when i feel like im having an off day.

but... i only smoke cigars occasionally... not a full time gig... i have one once every 4-6 weeks.. not on the regular.
 
trevor1189 said:
I think it is absolutely outrageous [the new policy]. But I want to become a medic so no smoking for me. Third day today. I personally don't think an employer has any business telling you what you can and cannot do when you are not working (assuming you are not in uniform), but I love EMS.

Definitely hard to give it up, hanging around at the fire station with a lot of smokers makes it hard, and it is very relaxing to me to come back from a call and enjoy a cigarette.

Anyone know how long nicotine remains in urine? I need to take a drug test (which will apparently include nicotine) before starting school Jan 11 2010.
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I guess the FFs in your area do not have the Heart Lung Bill in effect. Too bad for them.

Your employer pays for your insurance and you have patients to care for who deserve to not have your stinky body in the close quarters of an ambulance. Unfortunately as a smoker you can not smell the foul odor of your body and breath even with all the cologne and mints you might use thinking you are hiding your habit. Good for this hospital for giving them health care providers who won't make them sicker or at least not by the smell of a walking stale ashtray.
 
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Negative for me. Smoking (nicotine, everything else is a different story) was so stigmatized growing up that seeing anyone my age that does causes me to do a double take.
 
just remember: every time you light up, you are literally burning money. $7+ a pack, and we all know how much EMS people earn.

I occasionally will have a cigarette if I'm drinking with friends, but even that is getting less frequent. unless I have had a really really really bad day, I avoid them. and even then I still enjoy a beer or two to take the edge off.
 
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